What’s the Difference Between a Translator and an Interpreter?

If you’re looking to hire a language professional, the first thing you need to ask yourself is whether you need a translator or an interpreter. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they are very different jobs for very different situations. If you didn’t know this, you’re not alone. The nuances of the language industry are all Greek to many. Keep reading to find out the difference and learn what a translator does, what an interpreter does, and how you can go about finding one or the other.

Translator or Interpreter: On the Page or Out Loud

Let’s start with the biggest difference between translators and interpreters: translators work with written text; Interpreters work with spoken language. So, if you’ve ever read a foreign-language book or watched a foreign-language film with subtitles in English, you’re seeing the work of a professional translator. But say you’re watching a foreign politician speak on the news and their voice is dubbed in English. Then you’re hearing the work of a professional interpreter. 

Now that you know the difference, let’s take a look at what translators and interpreters do so you can more quickly find the right professional to meet your needs.

What Does a Translator Do?

Translators work with written documents. They start with a text in the source language (e.g., Spanish) and translate it into their target language (e.g., English). Most translators work in one linguistic direction, meaning they translate from their second (or third or fourth, etc.) into their native tongue. But some have the skills to translate both ways. Many translators also specialize in one or more specific fields (e.g., medical, legal, or audiovisual). This is because many fields require specialist knowledge. 

Translators do much more than literally transfer words from the source language into the target language. They have to transmit the overall meaning of those words, too.

Depending on their specialization, translators work on a wide range of texts. Here are just a few examples:

• Official documents, such as college transcripts
• Legal documents, such as contracts
• Literary works, such as books
• Technical documentation, such as instruction manuals
• Marketing copy, such as websites or social media posts (sometimes called transcreation)
• Subtitles for foreign films and videos

If you’re picturing someone sitting at a desk flipping through dictionaries and thesauruses to find the perfect word, you’re only partly right. Many translators work digitally with online tools that range from bilingual dictionaries to software like CAT tools (“computer-assisted translation”). CAT tools help them integrate glossaries, translation memories, quality assurance tools, and spell checks.

What Does an Interpreter Do?

Interpreters work with spoken words (sometimes in both directions). They listen to a speaker and repeat what is said in another language. Interpreters use one of two modes of interpreting — consecutive or simultaneous — depending on the context.

Consecutive interpreting involves listening to a speaker and repeating what has been said after the speaker stops talking. While listening, consecutive interpreters often take notes in a special, symbol-based shorthand and then use these notes to help them remember everything that was said. This mode is used primarily in legal and medical situations (e.g., a court hearing or a doctor’s appointment). It can also be used at conferences for relatively short speeches.

Simultaneous interpreting involves listening to a speaker and simultaneously repeating their speech in the target language on a slight delay. Depending on the situation, simultaneous interpreters use audio equipment or a whispering technique called chuchotage to communicate with their listeners. This interpreting mode is generally used for big international events like UN meetings. The sign-language interpreting you may have seen on TV is also simultaneous.

Like translators, interpreters generally specialize in certain fields, such as medical or legal, and they work in a wide range of settings. Here are a few examples:

• Hospitals
• Courtrooms
• Business meetings
• International gatherings
• Political summits

Hiring a Translator or Interpreter

Now that you know what translators and interpreters do and how they do it, you’re ready to find the right person for the job! The American Translator’s Association has a handy Language Services Directory where you can search for member translators or interpreters by location, language pair, specialization, mode, and more. By using this convenient tool, you’ll quickly find a professional to help you communicate with your audience, whether it’s on the page or out loud.

About the Author

Olivia C. Caputo is a Spanish to English audiovisual translator. She works primarily in subtitling and multimedia accessibility, English copy editing for brands and marketing, and some literary translation on the side. She is also an active volunteer for the American Translators Association. The American Translators Association represents almost 9,000 translators and interpreters in more than 100 countries. To hire a translation or interpreting professional, please visit www.atanet.org/directory.

ATA is Making News

ATA provides content for professional and trade publications to spread insight to a wide range of readers. Our articles have appeared in publications such as:

• AllBusiness (2022)